Tube support with removable tube retaining hooks



Sept. 16, 1958 M. F. PERKINS TUBE SUPPORT WITH REMOVABLE TUBE RETAINING HOOKS Filed Sept. 27, 1954 Figure INVEN T 0/? Maynard E Perkins United States Patent TUBE SUPPORT WITH REMOVABLE TUBE RETAINING HOOKS Maynard F. Perkins, Downers Grove, Ill., assignor to Universal Oil Products Company, Des Plaines, 11]., a corporation of Delaware Application September 27, 1954, Serial No. 458,459 1 Claim. (Cl. 248-138) This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 244,757, filed September 1, 1951, now abandoned.

This invention relates to an improved type of tube support having removable tube retaining hook members and in particular to a combination of tubes and a tube retaining assembly that is particularly adapted for use in oil stills or heaters or other high temperature applications.

In elongated heating chambers of all types it is customary to utilize intermediate tube supporting members at suitably spaced distances in order to prevent the tubes from sagging unduly as a result of the high temperature conditions. The tube supports which are in the radiant heating section of a furnace or heater are subjected to the highest and most damaging temperature so that they are ordinarily of an alloy material such as chrome-nickelsteel which is capable of supporting the tube loadings at high temperature conditions and having low creep characteristics.

In most heaters and in other supported tube applications the radiant heated tubes are normally positioned horizontally in vertically parallel rows extending across the length of the furnace. Depending upon the construction of the furnace the tubes might run through the center or along one wall, however, in either case the tubes are ordinarily supported by an assembly consisting of a vertically extending elongated main body section from which hook-like supporting members extend in vertical alignment, the hook-like members provided for supporting the heater tubes. The tube supporting members are normally of a bracket shape, having a base which connects the member to an externally placed column or buck-stay. In a preferred design of such an assembly the projecting hook or prong-like sections of each tube support which extends from the main body of the tube supporting casting are preferably sized, shaped, and vertically spaced so that the clear distance between adjacent tube supporting members is less than the diameter of the tubes being supported. This construction necessitates sliding the tubes into the supporting assemblies longitudinally. Thus, in the usual construction where there is a burning away of a hook-shaped member, or a breakage of the main body of the casting, it is not possible to replace the individual hook member nor is it possible to remove or replace a large tube support member without the removal of all the tubes or conduits which extend through that particular tube supporting assembly. The removal of the return bends or heater fittings or the pulling of all of the tubes which extend through the broken or burned out supporting member is, of course, a slow and costly procedure. t may therefore be seen thatit isa particular advantage to provide an improved type of tube sup porting assembly which may be removed without pulling all of the tubular conduits through the heater and which permits replacement of a tube supporting member or hook without dismantling the entire assembly.

The extremities of the tube supporting member, being subject to the greatest heat and corrosive conditions, will usually be burned olT while the rest of the assembly is still in operating condition. As hereinbefore stated, to extend the life of the assembly, high alloy material must be used in its construction. Since the entire assembly is generally cast, the vertical bracket as well as the tube supporting members are of expensive material. By employing removable hook or support members, this invention provides an assembly in which only the portions subjected to the extremely adverse conditions need be of expensive material. Thus, the vertical bracket may be fabricated of carbon steel while the hooks may be of nickel or other expensive alloy. Furthermore, broken or burned hooks may be replaced individually without dismantling the entire apparatus.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a'tube supporting assembly which permits the replacement of tube supporting hook or prong members individually without dismantling the entire assembly and which further permits the removal of one tube with out removing other tubes in the bundle when at the same time providing for the lateral as well as vertical retention of each conduit member in the assembly.

It is an embodiment of this invention to provide a tube and tube support assembly which comprises in combination an elongated body section having vertically spaced gusset members extending laterally therefrom, a removable tube-holding member having projecting prongs ex tending upwardly and downwardly at the outer edges thereof away from said body section connected to each of said gusset members and having a tube-retaining top surface extending outwardly from the gusset member, each of said tube-holding members having a partially bifurcated section in and below said top surface and thereby providing side plate members extending each side of said gusset member, a hole through each of said gusset members and through each of said side plate members of said bifurcated sections accommodating a removable pin which attaches said tube-holding members to said gusset members, a flat bearing surface along the inner vertical edge of each of said tube-holding members below the bifurcated section thereof and adapted to rest against said body section between adjacent gusset members, conduit members supported on said tube retaining top surface, said conduit members having a diameter greater than the distance between an upper prong of one tube-holding member and a lower prong of the next higher tube-holding member.

Reference to the accompanying drawing and the following description thereof will serve to better illustrate the improved design and construction of the tube and support assembly of this invention, as well as to aid in noting further advantageous features in connection therewith.

Figure 1 of the drawing shows a diagrammatic elevation view of a portion of an intermediate tube supporting member which is adapted to hold two rows of horizontally disposed tubes.

Figure 2 shows one embodiment of a removable type of tube supporting and retaining member which is pin connected to the main portion of the tube support.

Figure 3 is a sectional plan view of a portion of a tube I supporting member indicating the pin connection of a rebody section 1.

sections 2 may be connected to the upper section 1 and all of the tubes of the vertical rows of the heat exchange tubes of the heating chamber. In the present embodimerit, a pair of link members or bars 3, one on each side of the respective sections 1 and 2, are pin connected by' suitable pins or bars 4 and 5, to form the vertically elongated tube support assembly. The upper section 1 is provided with a recess and hanger section 6 having a hole, therein, in order that a vertical pin or bar 7 and nut or head 8 may support the entire assembly from the superstructure of the chamber.

In accordance with the present invention, each of the body sections or portions 1 and 2 is provided with a plurality of spaced gussets or ear-like projections 9, which in turn are adapted to hold a removable tube supporting and retaining member 10. Each movable member 10 has a hook-like or prong section and is preferably cast or otherwise formed with a forked or bifurcated section which is adapted to slip over the gusset member 9 and be pinned or otherwise removably connected to the latter.

In a preferred type of connection, each tube support member has a single hole through the bifurcated section thereof and in the upper portion of the latter, with a single hole provided through the gusset member 9, so that a single pin 11 may be placed directly through each of the members and removably attach the tube support and retaining member 10 to the body section of the tube support. Also, as a part of the preferred design and construction, each of the body portions of the tube support,

1 and 2 respectively, has a flat vertical edge portion on each side thereof, i. e., on the sides facing the heat exchange tubes, as is indicated by the lines 12 and 13. Thus, the vertical bearing surface on each of the tube support members 10 may bear against the side surfaces 12 and 13 of the tube support sections 1 and 2, as each one of the hook shaped supporting sections 10 pivots about the pin 11.

Figures 2 and 3 of the drawing indicate diagrammatically a specific embodiment of a tube supporting and a tube retaining pronged member 14 and means for removably connecting it to the body portion of the support member 1. The body portion 1 has a plurality of vertically spaced ears or gusset members 15, with the spacings, of course, depending upon the size and vertical spacing of the horizontally positioned heat exchange tubes, indicated by the broken circular lines 16. In this particular embodiment, the gusset members 15 tively small, and as better shown in Figure 3, each is centered as it projects from the side of the body section 1, providing thereby shoulders 17 on each side thereof, which are coextensive with the vertical fiat edge of the The removable member 14 has a slotted or bifurcated section in the upper corner thereof, as indicated by the line 18, and providing spaced portions 19, which in turn are adapted to slide or fit over the gusset member 15. Each of the side members 19 of the bifurcated section have a hole provided which in turn is in alignment with a hole provided in the gusset or projection 15 suitable for accommodating a pin 20. The pin 20 is preferably of cast alloy similar to the material of tube supporting members, or.other high temperature resistant material, which is machined or otherwise formed to provide a relatively tight removable fit connecting the tube supporting and retaining member 14 to the gusset member 15 and thus to the body section of the tube support.

The lower portion of the tube support member 14 has 'a vertical bearing surface 21 provided to rest against the vertical flat edge 17 of the tube support body section 1' so that the member 14 is held in the proper horizontal position. In other words, the vertical load of each of the are relatubular members 16 is carried to gusset 15 and the body portion of the tube support by bearing and shear on the pin 20 from the side members 19, and by the resulting compressive force through the bearing surface 21 to the side of the member 1'. This arrangement is of advantage in that it permits the attachment of each of the tube supporting members 14 to the body member by a single pin, rather than the usual method of using two or more pins or bolts.

It is also an advantageous feature of the present invention to provide each of the tube supporting members 14 with an upper and lower prong :or book section, indicated as 22 and 22' respectively. It will be noted, particularly in Figure 2- 0f thedrawing, that the prongs 22 and 22' extend sufficiently upwardly and downwardly to prevent the tubes or conduits 16 from bowing out of the supported position at each zone of support. Thus, with each member having-its respective prongs 22 and 22" designed to in turn provide a clear distance between superimposed removable members 14 of a lesser distance than the diameter of the tubular members being supported, then the lower prong 22 of each member 14 may serve as a tube retaining hook.

The upper and lower edges of each tube support and retaining member 14 are designed and spaced with respect to the gusset member 15 and body portion 1 such that the upper surface of the support'14 provides a proper rest and support for an overlying tube 16, while providing some clearance above the top of the next lower heat exchange tube. It is generally desirable to provide some clearance above the top of each tube 16, with respect to its normal positioning, so that when the tube does move or Warp slightly as it expands from high temperature conditions, there will be some freedom of movement without undue binding or pushing against the edges of each member 14.

It is of course not intended'to limit the design and construction of the particular supporting member 14 to that indicated in Figures 2 and 3. For example, a bearing surface may be provided on each of the tube holding members 14 along the entire vertical edge at a zone of contact with the edge of the body portion 1, in place of having a bearing surface such as 21, along just the lower portion of the removable member 14. Alternately, bearing surfaces may be provided in a modified embodiment, between the outer edge of the gusset member and an inner recessed edge of the removable member, between the spaced bifurcated sections.

In Figure 4 of the drawing, there is indicated a tube support assembly having a plurality of tube holding members 10 which are pinned and removably connected to gusset members 9' of a support bracket 23. The latter is adapted to extend horizontally through the side wall of a heating chamber and effect the support of horizontally disposed tubes extending in a vertical row along the wall of the heating chamber. The bracket 23 has a suitable base 24 which is adapted to bolt or otherwise removably connect with the column or buckstay of the heating chamber indicated by the broken line 25. The removable tube holding members 10 may be connected to the arm or bracket type of tube support in a manner somewhat like the connection and arrangement of Figure l of the drawing or in accordance with the specific embodiment of Figures 2 and 3 of the drawing. However, in accordance with the preferred embodiment and improved construction of the removable tube holding members of the present invention, the members 10 are removably pinned to the gusset members 9', with removable pins 11 extending through a bifurcated portion of the tube holding member 10' and a single hole provided in the 'gussets 9, while a vertical bearing surface along the edge of members 10 provides for a direct compression contact with a vertical edge or shoulder of the body portion of the tube support assembly. In this instance,

a vertical edge is provided by projecting rib 26 extended from the bracket 23.

Although not shown in the present drawing, similar removable types of tube holding prongs or members may be provided for the tube support castings which are provided at each end of the heating chamber and provide the end supports for the heat exchange conduits. In the usual construction of the end tube support, flanges or other projecting means are of course usually provided from the face of the tube support members to accommodate a thickness of insulating material, so that high temperature conditions of the interior of the heating chamber are insulated from the heater compartment of the latter. However, the advantages which have been set forth for the present improved construction providing removable tube support and retaining prongs on intermediate tube support assemblies also apply with equal advantage and merit in combination with end tube support members.

As may be seen from the foregoing, the combination of a bracket, removable prong or hook supporting members, and the tubes which are supported provides an efficient means of supporting multiple conduits so that each conduit is retained both vertically and laterally so that each conduit may be individually removed without disturbing the position of its adjacent conduit. This assembly furthermore provides for individual replacement of the hook or prong members which in normal operation are the first portions of the assembly to fail.

Although this invention has been explained with reference to heater tubes it is of course understood that it applies to supporting other types of elongated members such as electric cables, other types of piping, etc.

I claim as my invention:

A tube and tube support assembly which comprises in combination an elongated body section having vertically spaced gusset members extending laterally therefrom, a removable tube-holding member having projecting prongs extending upwardly and downwardly at the outer edges thereof away from said body section connected to each of said gusset members and having a tube-retaining top surface extending outwardly from the gusset member, each of said tube-holding members having a partially bifurcated section in and below said top surface and thereby providing side plate members extending each side of said gusset member, a hole through each of said gusset members and through each of said side plate members of said bifurcated sections accommodating a removable pin which attaches said tube-holding members to said gusset members, a flat bearing surface along the inner vertical edge of each of said tube-holding members below the bifurcated section thereof and adapted to rest against said body section between adjacent gusset members, and a conduit supported on each of said tube retaining top surfaces, the tube-retaining top surface of a lower holding member being spaced from the bottom surface of the next higher holding member a distance greater than the diameter of the conduit therebetween and the distance between the upper prong of said lower tube-holding memher and the lower prong of said next higher tube-holding member being less than the diameter of said conduit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS I Kane Feb. 

